Turkey, Qatar can contribute to calm tensions over nuclear issue: FM

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu said on Feb. 11 that Turkey and Qatar could contribute to easing tensions over a nuclear pact.

"The tensions we experienced over the previous U.S. administration withdrawing from the nuclear deal, and the embargoes, impacted the entire region. On this issue, especially as Turkey and Qatar, we can provide contributions, and we discussed these," Reuters quoted Çavuşoğlu as saying at a news conference with Thani.

Qatar is working to de-escalate tension in the region by advocating for a return to the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, state media quoted its foreign minister as saying on Feb. 10.

"The State of Qatar is working on de-escalation through a political and diplomatic process to return to the nuclear agreement," Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said on Feb. 10, according to state news agency QNA.

A breakthrough was reached last month to resolve a three-year dispute between Gulf Arab states and Qatar. The pact was one in a series of Middle East deals sought by the Donald Trump administration - the others involving Israel and Arab states - aimed at building a united front against Iran.

Çavuşoğlu said that the relations between Turkey and Qatar develop each and everyday and the two countries work together for the peaceful settlement of the problems in the region.

"Our relations between Turkey and Qatar get stronger every day and is developing in all areas," he stated.

Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu,